Worldwide Marriage Encounter

Worldwide Marriage EncounterSuggestions For Setting up Parish-Based Sharing GroupsThe following suggestions are offered for areas that may be seeking to begin new share groups or toreorganize existing groups. Please remember that although we reference our Catholic parishes, weknow that there are many interfaith couples in our communities and we do not intend to exclude them,nor do we recommend excluding any couple that wishes to belong to a given community but who livesoutside of the geographical boundaries of the group.RATIONALE FOR PARISH BASED SHARING GROUPSWorldwide Marriage Encounter sharing circles are small Christian communities. Over the last decade,the Church has been concerned with the lack of community in our parishes and is encouraging theformation of groups like ours. Building up an Encounter Area based on parishes or clusters of parishessupports our Catholic Church, and is advantageous to our movement as well. Couples involved withother couples in their own locality are better able to accomplish the mission of WWME, which is torenew the Church, and to provide ongoing support for the lifestyle introduced on the Weekend.Marriage Encounter also has a unique gift to offer the church: it is the only organization that focuseson the growth of spirituality as couples, rather than as individuals. This dimension of our movementenriches the Church and expands the understanding of the sacrament of matrimony. Working withinthe structure already provided for us in our dioceses, we can be more effective in our goal of changingthe world. When we work and are active within the parishes, our priests see the value of MarriageEncounter and are more likely to help us in our mission. Building parish-based circles is anopportunity to tie ourselves back to the Church we serve.BENEFITSParish-based groups encourage inviting new couples to the Weekend because recruiters knowthey are working to build their own community. They don’t have to go far from home topromote the Weekend either. Boundaries can be fixed for accountability. For example, a givengroup can be responsible for inviting efforts in five or six parishes. There may be only onesharing group to start with, but no parish would be without a WWME contact couple.Parish-based groups make it easier for couples & priests to become involved in MarriageEncounter because the gatherings are more conveniently located. Many times they alreadyknow some of the people involved in the community.Prayer couples come from the Parish Circle and they are more likely to be able to take thecouple to the reunion or the meetings. They also have more occasions to remind their protegésof the gatherings since they will be likely to see them at church or in the community.Couples are morelikely to “run into” each other outside of meetings. This helps build sense ofcommunity. It is also a reminder of the Weekend to those couples, even the ones who choosenot to become involved in the sharing group.Pastors are more aware the Marriage Encounter is alive and well and that Marriage Encountercouples are assets in the parish. They have a group of couples to call on when they need helpwith many different ministries.

Parish based groups encourage evangelization because the experience of Christian community.When people see groups of ME couples having fun together, it is an example to others of God’splan for marriage. Our passion can also attract others to our Church.Parish-based groups make it easier to invite un-encountered couples to events such as RomanceDinners to give them a taste of M.E. and encourage them to attend a Weekend.HOW TO ESTABLISH PARISH-BASED COMMUNITIES WHERE THERE IS NOEXISTING COMMUNITYo Pray for success!o Look at parishes in the area for possible grouping.o Focus on several specific parishes for Inviting.o Contact eachpastor and tel him what you’re trying to do.o Send each pastor an information portfolio and a video.o Establish parish contact couple from each parish.o A sharing group can be started with as few as 2 couples who are willing to meetregularly. These couples can come from one parish, or from a group of parishes that arein proximity to each other.o Put announcements in the bulletins inviting couples who have previously experiencedWeekends to get involved.o Experienced couples from other areas could help angel new groups.o Holding initial meetings at a parish rather than in a home might be more comfortablefor new members. After trust has been established, the meetings can be moved tohomes.o Work in an organized fashion, one parish or deanery at a time.o Continue to pray for God’s help.HOW TO ESTABLISH PARISH-BASED COMMUNITIES WITH EXISTING CIRCLESo Pray for success!o Survey existing Circles to see what parishes are represented. There could already be anatural grouping of couples.o Assign area parishes to each circle and make them accountable for inviting efforts inthose parishes. That would help to give them ownership for the mission in their area.o Contact the pastors and tel them what you’re trying to do. Send each pastor apromotional portfolio and a video.o Assign a contact couple in each parish if possible.o Put announcement in parish bulletins inviting couples who have experienced aWeekend to join the group in their local area.o Target specific parishes for pulpit talks to build up areas where there are no circles.o Create a sense of mission and renewal in the Church to help form other groups. Oneway to do this is to encourage attendance at area enrichment experiences. These eventshelp empower the couples to reach out and place them in contact with other dreamersand believers.o Don’t force anyone to change groups based on geography.o Continue to pray for God’s help!